


Woe of Redcliffe

by Of_Quirky_Excellence



Series: Half Full And Related Works [2]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games)
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Blood Magic, Canon-Typical Violence, F/M, Implied/Referenced Torture, People are mean to Jowan, Saving Jowan
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-09
Updated: 2020-08-09
Packaged: 2021-03-05 19:52:58
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,479
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25810882
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Of_Quirky_Excellence/pseuds/Of_Quirky_Excellence
Relationships: Female Amell/Jowan (Dragon Age)
Series: Half Full And Related Works [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/746391
Kudos: 1





	Woe of Redcliffe

Isolde grabbed a torch from its holster as she strode down the creaky steps towards the dungeon. It had been easily two and a half days since she’d caught the apostate she’d hired to tutor her son poisoning her husband. By the time he was caught however, the damage was done.

The arlessa had the mage thrown in the dungeons, where she was headed now. She decided to question the mage but not just about the crime she  _ knew  _ he’d committed.

There were strange things happening and people were dying mysteriously, their bodies rising again to attack the people living in the village.

A mage had been locked up, perhaps he’d done something to exact revenge.

It was time he answered for these happenings.

He was curled up in the corner of his cell when she arrived.

“Guards, did you search him?”

The jailer nodded. “He had no weapons, only a journal. There were a few drawings, some trees an’ shite. Are you sure we got the right guy, my lady? He seems like such a coward.”

That got a reaction from the mage, albeit a small one. He’d been quietly crying but the mention of his journal made him sob a bit louder. Surely he’d never get it back, but this was the least of his concerns.

“I’m certain. My butler is very trustworthy and he  _ saw _ Levyn sprinkle something into Eamon’s wine the night before he fell ill!” Isolde sounded utterly distraught and furious that one of her own men might ever think she’d been wrong.

“Right, forgive me, my lady. Would you like to question him?”

“Subdue him and send for two more men. We cannot risk him escaping.” Isolde said with soft venom in her tone.

The jailer fumbled with his key ring for a moment before opening the cell door.

Isolde stepped back to allow the armored guard to enter the cell.

The mage looked up at the jailer for a second, trembling like a spooked animal.

“No sudden moves, mage. Sit up. Slow.”

The mage’s blue eyes were filling up with tears, unable to hold them back.

He tried not to be fast or jerky with his movements for fear of being beheaded on the spot. The guard took a set of heavy manacles from his pack and the mage’s heart sank. He knew there were chains hanging from the walls. This wasn’t going to end well for him.

“Okay, so I don’t blame you for wanting to chain me after what I did, but I just want you to know I don’t plan on making this difficult…”

“Famous last words, you pathetic sod.” The guard shook his head and reached for the mage’s hands, which were offered willingly, as much as the black haired apostate loathed to submit so willingly after being  _ so close _ to being free and safe.

Before he knew it the guard had finished and he stood with his hands bound above his head, and the guard had gone to get more men.

“Andraste guide me.” He breathed.

“Maker forgive me.”

“There is no Maker for you. My husband is probably going to die because of you, Levyn!”

“Sorry, I...I’m so sorry. Also, Levyn’s not my real name. It’s Jowan. I suppose you’re going to hurt me. Maybe even kill me if I’m lucky enough to die today. So I’ll save you some time. I was hired by Teyrn Loghain-the Hero of River Dane, I’m told. He said Eamon was a threat to Ferelden and that he would try to usurp the crown if not neutralized.

Loghain is the regent so I trusted him. I was raised in that tower you wanted your son kept away from. Because if you think he’ll be safe there, you’re wrong. He could end up liking it there and being the Circle Mage everyone wants him to be, but more likely than not he’d end up like me. A disgraced, half-forgotten apprentice who was never meant to survive the Chantry’s politics. Oh, all right, I’ll shut up now. Do what you must but that’s all I know, I swear.”

“You-you were  _ hired?  _ By the  _ Queen’s father _ ? This is madness.  _ Madness!” _

Isolde had moved to stand in front of Jowan and she slapped him across the face. Hard.

He yelped, and Isolde didn’t flinch at the sound.

“My husband is comatose. But walking corpses are invading my castle and spreading to the village! You have to have summoned them, you fool. Lying to me is only going to get you skinned alive!” Isolde hissed.

“Walking corpses? What are you talking about, Lady Isolde?”

He asked fearfully.

“Don’t pretend you don’t know!” She shouted.

His eyes widened, terrified blue grey gaze meeting Isolde’s cold, angry eyes. The arlessa grabbed the collar of his robes and shook him. She was stronger than he’d thought...

“No I really don’t know!” He cried. “I can’t cast spells let alone summon anything! I’m out of mana! That happens when you don’t feed a mage for two days, you know!” 

He’d softened his tone, sounding a little bitter when he mentioned not being fed.

“Merde, you are insolent.” Isolde hissed.

“It’s true! I couldn’t cast a single spell if I wanted to!”

“Good. Magic is a curse.” She replied.

“Your son is also a mage, need I remind you?” The young man couldn’t flinch away as she punched him in the throat as hard as she could.

This knocked away any chance of taking a breath.

He gasped for air for a few seconds before he was able to breathe again.

“My son needs protection from his own curse then.” She said angrily as she strode out.

The three guards arrived and Isolde nodded to them. “Flog him, but don’t kill him yet. See what else you can get out of him. If he won’t talk, leave him. He can rot down here for all I care.”

Jowan barely resisted as the guards turned him to face the wall, chaining his hands up once more as soon as he was where they wanted him.

Isolde was watching, her gaze felt like a dagger held to his flesh even though he dared not turn his head to look at her.

The first crack of the whip didn’t even hit him but he jumped, crying out and rattling his restraints.

The arlessa’s men didn’t even bother to remove his clothes, they’d be torn anyway in the end.

The first twenty or so strikes were powerful and painful. The guards were brutal but Jowan said nothing, only muttered broken sobs escaped his lips.

As the first guard tired a second one took a turn for the next thirty. By the time he reached the thirtieth lash Jowan passed out.

But that relief did not last long. Icy water was sloshed onto his face and Jowan startled awake.They turned him back around so they could beat on his chest. He was sure they broke a few ribs.

He was asked again how to reverse the spell he’d cast, but he could offer nothing.

When the guards had finished, Jowan begged them not to leave him down there alone, but they ignored his cries, and they accompanied their lady to the more occupied parts of the castle. It would be another day before Jowan saw another soul.

—-

Maeve Amell wasn’t going to abandon these people. She’d hated Isolde from the moment she’d seen her, but Teagan had persuaded her to help and she wanted to prove not all mages were monsters...like the one Isolde claimed poisoned her husband. Maker but that woman just had such a nasty condescending way about her.

But helping her family was what needed to be done to secure Arl Eamon’s help for the Blight, so Maeve agreed to Bann Teagan’s plan to enter the castle. Through the tunnel. She’d chosen Leliana, Mouse and Morrigan to accompany her in, because she was...slightly wary of Alistair after he’d revealed his lineage. She hated most nobles. Distrusted them, even though if things were different she would have been one.

The tunnel was creepy and there was no denying it but when they reached the end they wound up in the dark bowels of Castle Redcliffe. The dungeons. They were empty until...until more corpses were up.

“Of course. Another battle.” She cued Mouse to sic the walkers, while Leliana and Morrigan rained arrows and spells from afar. Maeve got out her staff and fought alongside her hound, but out of the corner of her eye she saw a figure chained to the wall in the cell across from the corpses.

A prisoner. Well of course, Isolde  _ had _ mentioned someone had been caught poisoning Eamon but she thought little of it until the battle ended and the risen dead were dead for real this time.

The chained figure was mostly hidden by shadows and she thought the man to already be dead at first glance.

“Morrigan! Leliana, c’mere, quick!” She peered into the cell. The man  _ was  _ taking shallow breaths after all. He’d been tortured, apparently. His body was pale where she could see skin, thin as could be, he had overgrown black hair...and then she cast a light spell which made him flinch.

“Shit, sorry!” Her whispered voice hissed as she dimmed it a little but...that face was so familiar. She’d know him anywhere.  _ It was Jowan! _

“Oh no. No, no, no!” Maeve mumbled softly as she brightened the light spell again just to be sure.

“Leliana, get me into the cell. Quickly!”

“Is… is he even alive?”Leliana asked with more curiosity in her tone than anything.

“He certainly does not look alive.” Morrigan retorted.

“He moved though, he has to be. Come on, Leliana, hurry. I’ve got to get to him.”

Maeve anxiously paced as Leliana worked on what appeared to be a tough lock on the cell door.

“There.” Finally she indicated the door would open.

Maeve rushed into the cell, not waiting for her friends to question her further.

“Jowan, is that really you?” In close proximity she saw how badly he was wounded and she grew angrier with the sight of every bruise and each cut.

“Maeve? Am I d-dead?”

“I won’t let you die Jowan. Please, stay with me! I need to get you out of here!”

A small, sad smile crossed his face as he opened his eyes and tears streamed down his cheeks.

“You’re safe. I never thought I’d see you again.”

He lifted his head and Maeve turned to her friends.

“I think introductions can wait a while-Leliana, can you get him down?”

The bard looked puzzled and mildly concerned.

“Of course. This is….this is your Jowan then?”

Maeve blushed at the phrasing but did not deny anything. She nodded slightly.

“I thought he was gone. Really gone, that is. Please get him down.”

“Aren’t we forgetting the task at hand, my dear Amell?” Morrigan chided.

“No, it can wait. I’m not leaving Jowan here.” Maeve replies stubbornly.

Jowan sobbed a little. “Maeve, listen to me.” His voice hitched a little as he tried to speak after being parched for days and screaming himself hoarse under Lady Isolde’s men flogging him.

“I poisoned the Arl. You need to know that Connor is a mage. I think he may have summoned a demon, maybe by accident… I couldn’t tell Isolde because I knew she would kill me and if I’m dead I can’t help fix this mess.”

“Shh, time for that  _ later. _ ”

Leliana undid the bindings on Jowan’s wrists and helped ease him to the floor. Maeve then began to channel her mana. Once she let it flow Jowan startled.

“Wh-“

“Don’t. Let’s get you stable first. I will do my best to fix this but not if you die.” Maeve said with a coldness she didn’t intend to have in her tone. Especially not with him.She took Jowan into her arms and only then did she see the full extent of the damage to his body. She held him and swept his hair out of his face.

“Fuck, Jowan. What have they done to you?” She asked.

“First, Lady Isolde came down with her men and they tortured me, but the worst part was when they gave up and left me alone down here.”

“That  _ bitch.”  _ Maeve. “She’s got it coming.”

“Maeve please, no! You think what they did to me is bad, do you know what they’ll do to you if you hurt her?”

“Oh, I have some idea, but she still has it coming.” Maeve was so angry her head was spinning. But she focused on healing Jowan as best she could, allowing her mana to mend broken bones and stitch together broken flesh. But then she exhausted herself so much she saw stars.

“Morrigan...can...you…”

“Apologies, Warden, your friend is wounded beyond even my skills.”

Maeve swore under her breath.

“Let’s get you some water. I’m going to have to leave, but I’ll come back for you.I promise.”

Leliana passed a flask to Maeve and she opened it, allowing Jowan to down its contents.

“Please, no…” he clung to her as she moved to get up and Morrigan gripped her staff. The only ones in the room not tense were Maeve and Mouse.

Mouse barked, and moved to sit next to Jowan.

“Okay boy. Protect Jowan as you would protect me okay? And keep him warm if you can.”

“You have a mabari?” Jowan asked.

Maeve nodded and smiled through tears.

“Yes. Just like from the tales we used to read! He’s amazing. He will stay with you and I’ll come back for you, okay? I’m not shutting you in, but I don’t want to put you in danger, so I don’t think you should come with us yet.”

He nodded meekly and reached a hand towards the hound. He’d let go of Maeve and Mouse sat next to Jowan and let the mage wrap his thin arms around his body.

As Maeve and her remaining companions made their exit Jowan rested his head on the mabari’s thick neck.

“Thanks boy. You’re...you’re a good boy.”

—-

The commotion upstairs was stranger than anything Maeve had seen at the tower or anywhere else. She put an abrupt end to the freaky enthrallment just by walking in the room.

Connor fled and the guards-along with Bann Teagan-began to attack.

Isolde cowered in a corner, and while the vision of Jowan’s battered body roused a fury in her mind so great she could feel it in her fingertips, Maeve did not act on her anger.

They managed to knock the guards out and Teagan slipped on blood and fell on his head, saving any of the wardens’ party from needing to deal with him in combat.

“Okay, so Isolde. Let’s get a few things straight here. You could have told me your son was a mage.”

She tried to swallow her rage. And she was losing her ability to hide it more and more every second.

“You also could have prevented this whole thing by getting him proper training. The mage in your dungeon is only an apprentice himself. Before you ask -yes. I know him. And if you or yours  _ ever lay a single hand on him again, _ you’ll answer to me, and you will learn why the chantry locks most of us up.”

Isolde gaped at her words.

Leliana jumped in. “My lady, forgive the Warden’s crass words! She has been through a lot and her emotional state is fragile. She means nothing by threatening you but you have angered the woman responsible for helping save your town.”

Maeve nodded, getting herself in check. “Yes, you owe me. Don’t you ever forget that.”

“I-“

Isolde was about to speak but was interrupted by the Bann.

“Isolde-what have you-“

“I...Connor was showing signs...I wanted to protect him. He’s the heir to our Arldom, and a mage cannot inherit titles. Surely you know that, Amell?”

“More than I’d care to, my  _ lady.”  _ Maeve snarled with a pointed glare.

Leliana places a hand on her shoulder.

“I needed to teach him how to hide his magic-so I hired the apostate we discovered was staying at our inn. Eamon didn’t know any of this. But when Jowan poisoned Eamon…” 

Isolde did sound distraught, but Maeve wasn’t ready to feel sorry for the woman yet.

“Ah, so it’s Jowan’s fault the man who started a civil  _ war _ conned him into poisoning a nobleman he’d never met. Need I remind you we mages know little of politics outside our Circles? I only know what the Wardens have taught me…” Maeve snapped.

Teagan sounded skeptical but angrier at Isolde than anyone else.

“Wait. Whoa. So Isolde, if you had just sent him to the Circle for training-“

“None of this would be happening. Absolutely none of it. Your castle would be safe. Jowan would not have been put into this position, you’d have a functioning husband to aid us in the war.”

“How dare you! W-why are you blaming me?”

“This entire thing could have been prevented. By you, doing the right thing. I’m not saying I love the Chantry, but they train young apprentices and there’s a reason for that, my lady. Your son? He’s possessed. The options we have now? None of them involve him surviving.”

“ _ What?!”  _ Isolde and Teagan both cried.

“There’s no way to save a mage who’s been possessed, that’s why Templars kill so many of us at our harrowings.” Maeve said bitterly, but she also sounded slightly less angry and almost sympathetic.

A happy bark travelled across the room, making everyone in the room jump.

“Mouse! Bad boy, I told you to stay with...with…”

Maeve’s eyes went wide but then she sighed with relief.

Jowan was beside the mabari, who must have guided him upstairs somehow.

“ _ You _ !” Isolde moved to approach him.

“My lady, don’t you dare lay a hand on him!”

Maeve stepped in front of Jowan and shielded him from the angry noblewoman. Even Mouse growled, protecting his new friend as he’d been commanded to do.

“Is this the mage? Your friend from the Circle? The one who poisoned Eamon?”

“I’m sorry. I never would have done it if I hadn’t been backed into a corner. None of you deserved this…” Jowan flinched at Teagan’s words.

“I want to help make this right, any way I can.”

“You can’t. Connor is possessed and the warden claims he needs to die.”

Jowan looked Maeve in the eyes and he looked horrified.

“Wait, but he summoned the demon. That means it can be confronted in the Fade by another mage. Normally it requires Lyrium and several mages but...there’s another option. Blood magic. I know the spell...but I’ve never performed it…”

The mages in the room exchanged glances. Morrigan shrugged.

Maeve placed a hand on Jowan’s shoulder. “You’ve been through enough, my friend. I will not do that to you.”

Teagan interrupted. “But what about my nephew?” He sounded cross.

Maeve answered him after pondering for a moment.

“Right now, a lot of people owe me favors. Including the circle of Magi. If I can get them to come here, we can send one of us into the Fade to save Connor.”

“You could...do that?” Isolde asked.

“Being a mage isn’t always great but it has its perks. I’ve got some connections...but you have to promise me one thing.”

Isolde sighed. “None of my men will hurt Jowan again.”

“Thank you. And he’s to receive food and water at regular meal times. If it weren’t for Jowan I wouldn’t be a warden nor would I be here to save your village so treat him better, because you’ve made him suffer enough.”

“I...all right. It will be done. But he will stay in the dungeons.”

Isolde looked somewhat ashamed of her actions at last. 

She signalled for the now very much awake guards to escort him back to the dungeon but Teagan asked them to wait.

“Actually, I have a better place for Jowan to stay. He can help keep watch over Connor. If he knows anything about demons he knows more than I do.”

“I can definitely help with that. If the demon rears its head I will warn you.”

Teagan seemed satisfied with that, and Maeve almost cried because of how relieved she was.

“That’s perfect.” She rubbed Jowan’s upper arm gently. “I’ll be back. We’ll speak then, okay? I promise. It’ll be okay.” She handed him her cloak and he draped it over his shoulders.

“Thanks. It’s...it’s so good to see you. I can’t tell you how much I missed you.”

Maeve threw her arms around him and they hugged each other softly. Maeve pulled away, and then her party made their exit.


End file.
